Jacob Veach (or Veatch) was born about 1781[1] probably in Pennsylvania but possibly in Kentucky.[2] The Veatch Family Association has presented a theory that he was a son of Benjamin Veach Jr and his first wife.[3] After his first wife died ca 1790, Benjamin moved to Woodford County, Kentucky, where he married Sarah Powers on 8 Aug 1794.

Benjamin was in Jessamine Co KY in 1800 and in Scott Co KY in 1810.[4] Jacob married Mary Hilton on 18 Dec 1805 in Jessamine Co KY. Jacob died in Johnson Co IN after 1840. Mary was born between 1781-1790 in Frederick Co MD, the daughter of Truman and Christena (Patrick) Hilton. She died 27 Aug 1846 probably in Johnson Co IN.[5]

American Guthrie, Book IV, p 612, states that “Jacob Veatch lived on a farm on Indian Creek, in Johnson County, Ind. He had a son Milton Veatch, who became a prominent citizen of Jeffersonville, Ind., and three or more daughters, one of whom was Rachel.…,” but gives a totally impossible ancestry. The father proposed for Jacob was about the same age as Jacob.

Jacob and Polly were still in Kentucky in 1810, but by 1820, they were in Clark County, Indiana, p 14: Jacob Veach, 010010/42010. In 1830, Clark Co IN, p 80: Jacob Veatch, 0000101…/1221101… And in 1840, Johnson Co IN, p 306: Jacob Veach, 100000001/00101001. Seven children were named by Rev OP Light.[6] The census record indicates at least eight daughters and one son. In addition to the daughters named by Light, We Veitches… names Hannah, Mary Ann was discovered at HeritageQuest,[7] and Elizabeth is assumed based on her county of residence.

Children of Jacob and Mary (Hilton) Veach:

1. Louvica Caroline VEACH was born ca 1806-1810 in Kentucky. Louvica Caroline died in Harrison Co IN, on 15 Jul 1841. On 11 Feb 1830, she married James Russell PRATHER, son of Lloyd Benton PRATHER & Nancy REDMAN, in Clark Co IN. Born on 17 Nov 1807 in Clark Co IN, James Russell died in Jefferson Co IA, on 25 Jan 1850. They had the following children:

i. Mary Elizabeth (1831-1909)

ii. Nancy Jane (1833-1895)

iii. Enoch Locke (1835-1904)

iv. Sarah Ann (Twin) (1837-1870)

v. Indiann (Twin) (1837-1919)

vi. Elvira Ellen (1839-1880)

vii. Louvica Caroline (1841-<1900)

On 27 Jan 1842 in Harrison Co IN, James married second Elizabeth Jane Jamison, by whom he had four children.

2. Frances Maude VEACH was born in 1808 in KY and died in Shelby Co IL, probably in the 1860s. On 31 Oct 1831 Frances married Zephaniah K PORTER, son of Amaziah PORTER & Rhoda KITTREDGE, in Clark Co IN. Born in 1810 in MA, Zephaniah also died in Shelby Co IL, probably in the 1860s. They had the following children:

i. Milton (1832-)

ii. Harika (1834-)

iii. Jane (1836-)

iv. Lucinda (1838-)

v. Jacob (1840-)

vi. Lenze (1842-)

vii. Rody (1845-)

viii. Caroline (1848-)

3. Milton William VEACH was born in 1809 and died in New Albany, Floyd Co IN, in 1865. He was a pilot, undoubtedly on the Ohio River. On 28 Apr 1827 when Milton William was 18, he first married Matilda WISEMAN in Clark Co IN. Matilda died ca 1833. On 30 Nov 1834 Milton second married Elizabeth NEELEY in Clark Co IN. Born in 1810 in NY, Elizabeth died in 1862. Milton and his second wife had the following children:

i. Mary E (1835-1837)

ii. Charles M (ca1838-)

iii. Jacob T (1840-ca1841)

iv. Columbus W (1842-1914)

v. Silas W (ca1846-)

vi. Edward (ca1848-)

vii. Ira E (ca1850-1851)

4. Elizabeth VEACH was born in say 1813. She died in Indiana before 14 Jun 1838. On 16 Aug 1833, she married Jesse WOOLARD in Clark Co IN. Jesse was born ca 1813 in KY. He married Mary I Titus 14 Jun 1838 in Johnson Co IN and resided in 1850 with his second wife and four children in Fairfield Twp, Jefferson Co IA, where the families of two of Elizabeth’s sisters lived.

5. Hannah VEACH was born on 23 Nov 1814 in KY. Hannah died in Lucas Co IA, prob bef 1880. On 11 Sep 1834 when Hannah was 19, she married William BURGETT in Johnson Co IN. Born on 2 Apr 1812 in KY, William died in Liberty Twp, Lucas Co IA, on 14 Nov 1897. They had the following children:

i. Sarah Elizabeth (1835-)

ii. America (1837-)

iii. Anne (1838-)

iv. Indiana (1838-)

v. Jacob (1840-)

vi. Aaron (1841-1903)

vii. Preston (1843-)

viii. Mahala (1849-)

ix. William (1852-)

x. James P (1854-)

xi. Josiah (1856-)

xii. Aphronia (1860-)

6. Sarah Ann VEACH was born ca 1816 in Clark Co IN. She was living in 1880 in Worth Co MO. On 8 Aug 1835 in Johnson Co IN, she married Reason PRATHER, son of Lloyd Benton PRATHER & Nancy REDMAN, brother of her sister Louvica’s husband James. Born in 1812 in Clark Co IN, Reason died in Allen Twp, Worth Co MO, probably in the 1870s. They had the following children:

i. Elizabeth (1836-)

ii. Andrew B (1837-1863)

iii. Amanda M (1839-)

iv. Mary Jane (1841-1932)

v. Nancy Anna (ca1843-1913)

vi. Margaret F (1846-)

vii. Jonathan Cass (1848-1921)

viii. [?Serena] Louvica (ca1851-ca1912)

ix. Emily/Emma Adeline (1856-1930)

7. Elvira M VEACH was born in 1818 in Clark Co IN. Elvira M probably died in Shelby Co IL in the 1860s. On 9 Dec 1836, she first married Harmon Arrants SMITH in Johnson Co IN. Born on 2 Jan 1815 in Washington Co TN, Harmon Arrants died in Johnson Co IN, on 3 May 1837, about five months after their marriage. On 28 Nov 1841 Elvira second married Henry ELLER in Johnson Co IN. He was born ca 1809 in VA. They had the following children:

i. Louvica E (1843-)

ii. Washington (1845-)

iii. Jacob B (1847-)

iv. William H H (1849-)

v. Fanny M (1851-)

vi. John (1854-)

vii. Louisa (1856-)

viii. Elvira E (1859-)

8. Mary Ann VEACH was born ca 1820 in Indiana and died in 1887. On 30 Oct 1839 when Mary Ann was 19, she married Moses HOLEMAN, son of Isaac Hardy HOLEMAN & Catherine WILCOXSON, in Johnson Co IN. Born in 1794 in NC, Moses died in Johnson Co IN, on 6 Aug 1875. Moses had six children with his first wife Rebecca Patrick, a first cousin of Mary Ann’s mother, Mary (Hilton) Veach. Moses and Mary Ann had the following children:

i. Isaac W (ca1842-)

ii. Jacob N (1844-)

iii. Rebecca Ann (1845-)

iv. Merrit S (1847-)

v. Milton H (Died as Infant) (1849-1849)

vi. Moses Benton (ca1850-)

vii. Aaron Strange (1855-1905)

9. Rachel May VEACH was born on 9 May 1822 in Clark Co IN. Rachel died in Warrick Co IN, on 13 Sep 1861. On 30 Jul 1839, she married James Beasley ADMIRE in Johnson Co IN. Born on 1 Jan 1820 in Henry Co KY, James Beasley died in Warrick Co IN, on 15 Oct 1861. They had the following children:

i. Margaret A (ca1841-)

ii. Jacob (ca1843-)

iii. Squire (ca1845-)

iv. Mary J (ca1849-)

10. Lucinda VEACH was born on 21 Nov 1823 or 1826 in Clark Co IN. Lucinda died in Johnson Co IN, on 2 Dec 1848. On 14 Oct 1841, she married reportedly as his third wife, Hiram PORTER, son of Francis Kittredge PORTER & Margaret GLASS, in Hensley Twp, Johnson Co IN. Born on 14 Jun 1820 in Clark Co IN, Hiram was the nephew of Lucinda’s brother-in-law Zephaniah Porter, and his stepmother, Pressha (Hilton) Porter, was Lucinda’s aunt. Hiram died in Hensley Twp, Johnson Co IN, on 10 Mar 1886. They had the following children:

i. Francis Kittredge (1843-1925)

ii. Mary Jane (1844-1905)

According to “Reed’s of Southern Indiana” at Ancestry.com, Hiram had two earlier wives and on 5 Dec 1855 married Lettice Prather, a cousin of Lucinda’s two brothers-in-law, James and Reason Prather. Hiram and Lettice had three children; she died 14 Nov 1865. On 3 May 1866, Hiram married Rachel Prather in Clark Co IN; she was possibly the daughter of William and Ann (Bottorff) Prather and a cousin of his fourth wife, but not in his 1870 census.

[2]His two children known living in 1880 both said her was born in KY. Sarah Ann said mother born Maryland, while Mary Ann incorrectly stated her mother was born in SC.

[3]Mrs C W Veatch’s article gives a probable construction of this family. The article, Memo Regarding the Origin of the Original Veatch (Veach) Family Groups of Mercer, Woodford, Jessamine and Harrison Counties KY, from the Veatch Family Association Newsletter, are probably mistaken in the family they give our Jacob’s father Benjamin.